Times of the Islands Spring 2021

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
I blame John Galleymore for my involvement. I first
met John several years ago through our combined love of
Potcake dogs and our dedication to helping them. John
helped my family with the adoption of our first Potcake
which began our friendship. John’s history is worth an
article all on its own, but his exploration of the Turks &
Caicos Islands has led him on many adventures. (Follow
Beyond TCI on social media.)
I also met Turks & Caicos National Museum Director
Michael Pateman through John. My wife and I were on a
two-day excursion to Salt Cay by way of Grand Turk. Of
course, we stopped by the museum on Grand Turk to
explore and shoot some photos and videos, and Michael
was kind enough to show us around.
When the museum gave the go-ahead to explore East
Caicos, Michael knew John Galleymore, and other local
guide masters, Agile and Daniel LeVin, would be critical
to the success of the mission. John knew that I was a documentary
filmmaker and requested that I come along to
document the expedition. I was excited to be invited and
the logistics began to come together.
I think we had to postpone the trip a couple of times
John Galleymore and Mat Matlack are packed up and ready to launch
the East Caicos Expedition.
until October 2019 due to weather conditions. The last
thing we wanted was to be on an uninhabited island
during a tropical storm or worse, and Hurricane Dorian
ravaged the Bahamas in early September. We knew it
would be a very hot and mosquito laden time to be on
East Caicos, but we forged ahead with the adventure.
This is the audio and video gear used on the East Caicos expedition. In addition, a laptop computer was brought along on the journey.
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